Violence against Muslims threatening Myanmar reforms: UN envoy

October 24, 2013|Reuters

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Violence against a Muslimminority in Myanmar is feeding a wider anti-Muslim feeling thatposes a serious threat to the country's dramatic economic andpolitical reforms as it emerges from half a century of militaryrule, a U.N. envoy said on Thursday.

The government says at least 192 people were killed in Juneand October 2012 clashes between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists andRohingya Muslims, most of whom Myanmar deem illegal immigrantsfrom Bangladesh, despite roots going back generations.

The clashes led to unrest elsewhere in the country, whereother groups of Muslims have been targeted, including Kamans,who are of different ethnicity from Rohingyas. An estimated 5percent of Myanmar's population of about 60 million is Muslim.

"The president (Thein Sein) has made some commendable publicspeeches in which he has emphasized the need for trust, respectand compassion between people of different faiths and ethnicgroups in Myanmar," said Tomas Ojea Quintana, U.N. specialrapporteur on the situation in human rights in Myanmar.

"However, more needs to be done by the government to tacklethe spread of discriminatory views and to protect vulnerableminority communities," he told the U.N. General Assembly's ThirdCommittee, which deals with human rights issues.

Thein Sein heads a quasi-civilian government installed in2011 after Myanmar's military stepped aside. Under his reforms,opposition leader and Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San SuuKyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest, has been allowedback into politics and has made a number of visits abroad.

"In our view the recent dramatic democratic changes inMyanmar were a clear demonstration of the changes of mindset inthe government," a representative of the Myanmar U.N. missiontold the Third Committee. Myanmar is also known as Burma.

"At the critical time of democratic transition no country isimmune from challenges. Myanmar went through unfortunatecommunal violence in Rakhine state sparked by a brutal crime. Wevery much regret loss of life and property caused to bothcommunities," he said.

The violence in northern Rakhine State, one of Myanmar'spoorest regions that is home to 1 million mostly statelessRohingya Muslims, has continued this year. Dozens more have beenkilled and 140,000, mostly Rohingya, have been left homeless.

"The situation in Rakhine State has fed a wider anti-Muslimnarrative in Myanmar, which is posing one of the most seriousthreats to the reform process," Quintana said. "Rakhine Stateremains in a situation of profound crisis."

"The underlying issue of discrimination against Muslim andparticularly Rohingya populations remains unaddressed," he said."Allegations of gross violations since the violence erupted lastJune, including by state security personnel, remainsunaddressed."